Electronic circuit interruption devices are supplementing thermal and magnetic circuit breakers in many industrial applications. The electronic circuit interrupter includes a signal processing circuit in the form of a printed wire board contained within the circuit interrupter enclosure. The arrangement of the circuit interrupter enclosure provides for selection of various electrical accessories that are field-installed. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,754,247; 4,757,294 and 4,788,621 describe such electronic circuit interrupters along with the trip actuator module that responds to the electronic trip circuit to separate the circuit interrupter contacts. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,589,052 and 4,741,002 describe electronic trip circuits used to provide the trip signal to the trip actuator module. U.S. Pat. No. 4,679,019 describes a trip actuator module in the form of an electromagnetic trip actuator which includes mechanical linkage for interfacing with the circuit interrupter operating mechanism to separate the circuit interrupter contacts. All of the aforementioned U.S. patents are incorporated herein for reference purposes.
The electromagnetic trip actuator described within the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,679,019 is designed for operation within electronic circuit interrupters rated at 600 amperes or less. With industrial circuit interrupters rupters rated at more than 600 amperes, the circuit interruption mechanism and corresponding circuit interrupter contacts are sized to provide continuous current transfer at the higher ampere rating without becoming overheated. The compact size of the electromagnetic trip actuator limits the amount of motive-force applied to the circuit interrupter operating mechanism such that the electromagnetic trip actuator, per se, is incapable of articulating the larger size operating mechanisms.
One purpose of the instant invention, is to provide dual trip actuators and electronic control circuits that are capable of operation over a wide range of circuit interrupter ampere ratings.